Name: Arisa Hiroi
Sponsor: Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California
Education: BA expected in 2010 from University of California Davis in Japanese and Sociology AB/Minor in Education
Employer/Position held: UCD East Asian Languages & Cultures Dept/Japanese Dept Reader
Goals: To become a Japanese teacher in US
Age: 19
Parents/Residence: Kunikiko and Mari Hiroi / San Francisco, CA

Name: Ashley Kiyoko NakataniSponsor: Nikkei West
Education: BA June 2010 from University of California Davis double Major in International Relations and Communications with a Minor in Writing
Employer/Position Held: UC Davis Washington Program/Student Advisor and Minato Japanese Restaurant/Server and Hostess
Goals: Pursue a career in the field of International Relations with companies doing business in Japan
Age: 22
Parents/Residence: Neal Kanji Nakatani, Patricia Kiyoko Sakauye / San Jose, CA

“The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival now celebrating its 43rd year, is one of California’s most prominent celebrations of Asian traditions. Each year, over 150,000 people attend this dazzling display showcasing the color and grace of the Japanese culture and the diversity of the Japanese American Community. Please join us and become a sponsor of this popular Japanese American community event.

This year’s Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday April 10-11 and April 17-18, 2010. All are welcome to join in the festivities as we celebrate Japanese and Japanese American culture in San Francisco’s Japantown!

The festival will be held on Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets. There will be food booths, cultural performances, martial arts, live bands, the annual Queen Program, and more. The Grand Parade will be held on April 18, beginning at City Hall and concluding in Japantown.

The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is said to be the second largest festival outside of Washington, D.C. to celebrate the blooming of cherry blossoms; and held at one of three remaining Japantowns in the United States.

When?

Festival: Saturday and Sunday, April 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 2010

Grand Parade: Sunday, April 18, 2010

Queen Pageant: Saturday, April 10, 2010

Where?

Festival: Japantown (@ Post & Buchanan Streets), San Francisco

Grand Parade: Begins at San Francisco City Hall and ends at Post & Fillmore

The Queen Program (don’t call it a pageant) will occur on Saturday, April 10th in conjunction with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. More deets to come when they get everything posted. Anyway, here are the candidates for 2010:

Name: Arisa Hiroi
Sponsor: Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California
Education: BA expected in 2010 from University of California Davis in Japanese and Sociology AB/Minor in Education
Employer/Position held: UCD East Asian Languages & Cultures Dept/Japanese Dept Reader
Goals: To become a Japanese teacher in US
Age: 19
Parents/Residence: Kunikiko and Mari Hiroi / San Francisco, CA

Name: Ashley Kiyoko NakataniSponsor: Nikkei West
Education: BA June 2010 from University of California Davis double Major in International Relations and Communications with a Minor in Writing
Employer/Position Held: UC Davis Washington Program/Student Advisor and Minato Japanese Restaurant/Server and Hostess
Goals: Pursue a career in the field of International Relations with companies doing business in Japan
Age: 22
Parents/Residence: Neal Kanji Nakatani, Patricia Kiyoko Sakauye / San Jose, CA

The mise-en-scene. This street festival has all the usual suspects, such as quack “doctors” and the dude who wants you to subscribe to the New York Times. But it also has a lot of unique things. It’s not just another S.F. streetfest:

Six candidates for 2009 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen were introduced in San Francisco Japantown. It was noted that this year, for budgetary reasons, there will be no talent segment. Organizers hope to bring it back next year.